Ok so I guess my posts aren't showing up right for different browsers. All my photos are messed. I'll try and fix it and repost. sorry :(

A new shrug. It's an original pattern which is why I'm modeling it half done; the orange is holding my stitches, not a design element. It's also why I'm modling it in the bathroom (dirty I see now) mirror, and why I'm wearing a Tim's tshirt that doesn't match. No wait, that's cause I'm steeped.

Hello Comments?

Soundtrack: "Walls", Tom Petty

I can post photos! On to FOs: I'm trying to get around to blocking these gauntlets.
The lace is based on a c.1870 Canadian needlework book called "Handywork". I updated the pattern on my own (so that it could be called an 'original' pattern) feeling v.clever before noticing that Nikki Epstein has almost the same pattern in On the Edge. Oh well.
Here's a blue mohair shrug with kimono sleaves:

and a crap photo of a mohair minisweater I made for $3(!)

This is more weaving:

I didn't have time to finish before the end of the course so I think I'll encorporate into something else-build a garment around it. Now I'm taking a course in Book Arts. We bound a book in my first class which is so exciting to me and my only concern is that I will abandon knitting and become obsessed with altered books. It's like scrapbooking for the pretentious. (moi). More photos soon.

Soundtrack:"Time Will Tell", Black Crowes

Is everyone watching Martha? It is my new favorite show (and not just because her last guest was Susan Lucci, my personal hero since age 5, who came on the show to learn how to pot plants. Poor thing, LaKane was too short to use such a big urn.) You should see it if you havn't. Tuesday was poncho day and it was as ridiculous as it was touching. Lily Chin was on and crocheted a poncho for Paw Paw the dog before the show was through. (Turns out her secret is that she lubes up her hooks. I hadn't read that.) Everyone was very funny and very sweet and it was nice to watch something crochet-proud. I just feel really bad because these ponchos are truly the ugliest things I have ever seen. Martha's own isn't too bad. But people: the woman who made it was in prison. She didnt have access to lovely yarns and fibres. She did a fantastic job w/ what she had. So why do you keep making these puke coloured acrylic monstrosities?? David Spade looked cute in his though:

In other news, some of you may know that I'm a huge fan of teen vogue (I even lied about my age so I could become a teenvogueitgirl.) and I am SO excited because the new issue should be out today and has the first ever solo interview with Frances Bean Cobain!


I think the Bean is gorgeous and a hilarious mix of her parents. I would knit her a whole wordrobe. I also think knitting would help Courtney out. :) In other magazine news, I went to IK's website to look at the new Interweave Crochet Magazine to see if it was worth buying (something I never do). I
am so glad I did! I was so disapointed!

Now I'm woried knitscene wont live up to my expectations either. I so want it you be good, and better than knit1. IK is really weird though.

Thats it, still no card reader, oh, and I updated my inspirations blog.

Soundtrack:"Bucky Done Gun","Hombre", M.I.A.
 

You are bamboo.
Warm, cozy, and thoughtful, you take your time and
enjoy how things feel, smell, and taste. You
love the craft and beauty of traditional
things, and you value the comfort and
experience of knitting as much as the results.
But while you are reveling in your warm cozies,
don't get stuck. Warm is wonderful, but so is
the whole wide world!


What kind of knitting needles are you?
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You are a masterful knitter! I don't know how you
got this result, but what the hell... Enjoy
your title, and try selling some of your
"unvented" patterns- you may make
enough for that bundle of qiviut you've been
drooling over...


Are you a knitter?
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You are Merino Wool.
You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to
keep you close because you are so softhearted.
You love to be comfortable and warm from your
head to your toes.


What kind of yarn are you?
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You're Subtly Horny Lindsey. Sex is truly on your
mind 24/7 but you try not to admit it. With a
few cold showers, you might just be
conversation friendly!


Which of Lindsey Buckingham's multiple personalities are you?
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lol These are the quizzes that matter. Lindsey turns me on like Noro and Clovers.

ps Off The Needles: Shetland Lace Collar, Gothic Lace Gauntlets, Mohair Minisweater and Metalic Shrug. Why can't I post pictures?!?!?!

I'm also going to have a go at the Circular Vest of Wonders and Disagreements.
Soundtrack:"Monster Hospital" Metric, "Nous Sommes" Stéphanie Lapointe

This pattern does not work!! If anyone wants to take a look and tell me what they think...maybe it's just that the photo blurry, but it really wasn't working out the way I imagined it (the shell increases at the beginning) so I think I'm going to try and invent a knit version.

In other news, this is the cutest thing I have ever seen (besides Lindsey Buckingham pretending to be an elephant and chasing Stevie Nicks accross the stage....). It is cute enough to bare children. There's a free pattern for it at
Berroco.

I joined a crochetalong over at Craftster to make Molly Weasley's sleaves from Chamber of Secrets. It's my first CAL and I think everyone's results are going to be amazing 'cause they can't help but be different. I think some people are making a sweater but I think Ill just make the sleaves and then crochet them together to form a shrug. They sort of remind me of the Peter Maxx hat I made ages ago w/ the *ahem* inverted bobbles.

Would it be sacreligous to use knitting in the shrug too? I think that's the most exciting thing going on in crochet right now; combining the two -crochet for stability and structure, knitting for shaping and drape. There are some neat attempts at it in the latest issue of Easy Crochet (gak! I know!). Let's all hope Debbie Stoller doesn't cotton on. (Oh yes I did. lol)

Soundtrack: Mix for DualDiskDebacle, Wilco,BuckinghamNicks,Ryan Adams. 

I'm sending a portion of my Preemie Items to Survivors fo Hurricane Katrina. There are lots of great ways to donate. Christine at Big Pink Cookie has lots of information about sending items to Houston and has said that booties are the best things to send. Let's get bootilicious! Also, the Red Cross and the Craft Revolution have teamed up and created a donations only store where your crafted goods can be sold with a guarentee that all sales go directly to relief efforts. Click Here
As much as I would love to get on a soapbox here and talk about America's budgeting landing them with a deficit of humanity, I'd much rather get knitting.

In per. knitting news, I'm starting work on this:
using Luxury Mohair in 'Valiencia' or something.

I want to make this too:

I don't know what it is, but lately I've been a knitting/crocheting machine.

Soundtrack: Dumas, "J'erre", New Earth Mud, "Sugaree" 

Things with me are crazy. I'm at my Mum's for a few days which means I've got access to
Picassa (which I love) and a faster computer so I thought I'd have a chance to get a ton of
blogging done. Not so much. The usb ports refuse to detect any devices including card readers meaning the two brand new ones we bought as we thought the devices were the issue. Then the usb problem slowed down the whole system so I couldn't even get online let alone blog w/ lots of pictures.
Anyway im v.frustrated and sorry that I havn't been able to blog etc. Knitting wise I'm working
fevorously on several original patterns with deadlines looming and also getting some charity
knitting done as the preemie charity I donate to is based here in Kingston. I'd love to send
them really funky hats and things but the hospital wont accept anything too wild and sexy :(
I've taken loverly photos of all of this...grrr I wish I could upload them!!In the mean time
check out this action shot of my Granny crocheting!

I tricked her...we're in the back of the
car heading off to Jeddore for a supper with my Mum and Aunt where we met the oldest lobster
ever (well maybe not). His name is Crusty; he was 15lbs and 75yrs old!! Some American ordered him for supper but then chickened out. A few days later he was on the cover of the paper...
so many people had protested that they put him back in the ocean. If I had known he'd be a
celebrity I would have made him wear a hat! Damn it turns out I don't have a photo of him
...someone get me a card reader. He was a mofo pomoboho lobster.

Isn't Granny crazy in this picture lol? Anyway, Granny and I did manage an *ahem* 'freeform' crocheted brooch on the way there.
Granny tought me to knit and to crochet when I was about 7(?) or maybe I should say that
I started paying attention when I was 7. I'd loove to make her something for xmas. Any ideas??
Novelty items are a must. Granny's a riot. She's just as funny when she makes sence as when she doesnt and she has really juicy stories and dated a lot of gentlemen...Dicky Duckum and Gary Balls.
I kid you not!!!! I should knit her some gary balls!lol. Unfortunatly my latest
foray into felting was a bit of a debacle...not only did it get v.v.hairy (I had to shave it)
but I attached the strap (not saying what the FO is) with a twist in it. Before I felted.
Reeeaaally securely. Crap. I will post the photostory when I can. It's all going wrong,
but I'll just keep knitting. That is my new motto.

Soundtrack: "Coeur de Parisienne" Rufus Wainwright, "The Silky Veils of Ardor" Joni Mitchell 

School starts again soon...taking more classes at NSCAD....but I am in Ontario. The drive back with Mum and the cat was smooth enough (except we still can't find the Le Chateau Outlet...any help?) unfortunatly Ginny the pussycat had to stay in her cage (she broke out of the cat carrier) the whole time. Why? Because this is her favorite spot in the car:

So soon I'll head back on the train. It's a beautiful trip and a perfect way to see the Canadian wilderness. Case in point: New Brunswick last winter:

lol I always watch for that sign but I have yet to see any proof of a restaurant. So on to one of the summer's wooly adventures. In like a week I met the Fleece Artist (at her home/studio in Laurencetown NS) and went to Gaspereau Valley Fibres. I don't have any pictures of Fleece Artist (we didn't excpect to stumble into her studio coming back from the beach) but here's a friend my aunt and I made at Gaspereau:

Here's the fabulous inside of the shop And what I bought: The huge ball of slubby is Fleece Artist and already well on it's way to becoming a jacket for submission. All v.hush hush don't you know.

ps The insane video I mentioned has gone to air. You can watch it live here.but the streaming really sucks. If you make out a dwarf kicking it royaly in an orange skirt c'est moi. I work it out (really working out frustration over goddamn IK Flower Casket Shawl I took w/ me that day.)

I will go now, the little man I see when I close my eyes is telling me I have to get back to my 1,000+ UFOs and OTNs....

Soundtrack:"The One That got Away" Natasha Bedingfield, "Damned Ladies", Rufus Wainwright

I have been having so many fibrous adventures I really need to get them up here. First off, my weaving class has been amazing and though (b/c it's summer) I haven't been able to take full advantage of the classes and studio time, I'm really pleased with what I've turned out and v.excited about what I've learned. The piece whose portrait I took while still on the loom is now off, and ready for it's close up:

The ends are combinations of mohair, alpaca, eyelash, ribbon, slub, thread, ladder, acrylic, phentex and other good coupled with slightly dirty things. (lol "Shhh...I'm into phentex baby.") ::Anyway::The middle is a sampler. I don't know the names of the patterns and if I wasn't such a colossal idiot I would have dutifully written down each pedal combination as I went.

A thing of beauty to be sure, but now where do I put it? I think I'll hang it on my massive wall of photos currently resplendent with enrelac and tunisian crochet. It's time to rotate the permanent collection.

Possibly the most exciting class for me was spinning day. We had a special guest in. Damn you Elenore and your lace weight spinning. (Thank you too!) "Slub" doesn't even begin to describe my efforts-know what I mean?lol. My best advice so far? Plug in your headphones and listen to something sexy like The Donnas or The Stones to help keep your treadling steady and let the wheel know you're not taking any crap off it. (Even though my spinning fantasies are dainty and genteel, I swore quite a bit on my first go. I also started spinning my own hair quite by accident. Go on. Picture it. I know you are. Thought I'd be Sleeping Beauty but discovered my inner Rumplestiltskin. There you have it.)

So I bought a wheel (which is broke and I have to take it to this Emerg. Dr. at the IWK Hospital who calls himself 'The Spin Doctor' LOL) and along with my Mum and Aunt cleaned the fleece from Ontario in Aunt Vic's backyard. It all went v.well with the slight exception of the chocolate brown dreadlocked sheepies whose fleece I will leave off with. (Yes it's their fleee-ce. I swear it. All real Mr. Hankies were rinced away.)

Soundtrack: "Pink Moon", Nick Drake "So She's Leaving", The Trews